Southern Football Netball League and AFL Victoria is proud to partner with beyondblue again in 2019 to start conversations, reduce stigma and increase support-seeking for anxiety, depression and suicide prevention within the football community.
In 2017, AFL Victoria consulted with their clubs and identified that mental health was one of the leading priorities for both players and supporters. In partnership with beyondblue, AFL Victoria is working towards educating the football community on mental health and wellbeing. We are proud to announce the second AFL Victoria Beyond Blue Round with Victorian clubs over the weekend of the 11-12 May 2019.
Having a conversation about mental health, with our peers and within our clubs, will help reduce the stigma associated with anxiety, depression and suicide. To help make mental health part of everyday conversations, we are encouraging all club players to wear the special beyondblue strapping tape around their right wrists during their AFL Victoria beyondblue Round games in May 2019.
Wearing blue tape is a symbolic action, telling everyone that speaking up and seeking support is OK. If we can talk about our physical injuries then we should be able to talk about mental health conditions without being discriminated or stigmatised.